All Eggs in One Basket – Are You Kidding Me!!!

A recent article on banking was released regarding a strategy Commercial banks may adopt to determine who will make a good credit card customer. No longer will your credit score determine who gets the prize credit card but now let’s see how much money you have in our wonderful bank vaults.

Are you kidding ME!!! Let me see if I can grasp this thought process through my non bank owner mind. You want me to take all my hard earned money, place it into your bank thus giving you access to do more of your wise and profitable projects like sub-prime lending. In return you are going to give me a credit card with outrageous interest fees in exchange for the use. Consequently, continue a lifestyle of living on credit and beyond my means. WOW!

Now I will admit I am not a rocket scientist nor am I banker but does this sound like wise money management to anyone except the guy in the big office making all the money. I must admit when I shift and jump over to the other side of the desk it sounds like a sound idea. But then again I am not at all concerned about the customer, their lifestyle, their future, nor their assets being safe. I am merely focused on my bottom line and how I can generate income for my bank and shareholders. No, I don’t want to give people who don’t make payments on time more credit. Nor do I want to give little Sally who has very little cash savings any credit. I certainly don’t care about Mr. Small Business Owner who used the credit card to keep the company flowing between invoice payments. Who cares that Mr. Small Business could not possible keep a large balance in his account because he uses the cash to actually run the business – what a concept!

We are entering into a new era and how we function, do business, and run our financial affairs is going to have to change. Each family and business owner is going to have to look at their individual situations and make tailored plans that will meet the needs of short and long term goals.

Does it make sense to put all your eggs in one basket or better yet all your resources into one bank. In my opinion diversification has always been the best strategy for hedging against bad times and the poor business decisions of others. Today people are going to have to search for ways to get outside the box and develop strategies to meet their needs and objectives. If this makes you nervous or overwhelmed then stop trying to do it yourself. Look to find people who can help solve your problem. In other words, look to build a team with people who are strong in areas where you are weak. If you build houses and you are the best builder in the world then focus on building. But you had better pray and find someone who is as good at business strategy as you are at building houses or your future at building could be shorter then you plan.

Yes, the news may make you sick to your stomach or even temp you to yell at the announcer. In the end big bank presidents and big corporate owners can make decisions that could have a negative affect on your business and lifestyle. However, there is always a way of escape which means you can always find a way legally to get the job done. It will probably take some uneasy adjustments, perhaps a budget, and good partnerships. But you can do it!

This is not the first shift the American economy has gone through since the first day the boat landed. The World just keeps making the necessary adjustments and the people who move make the money the people who wait serve those who moved.

The Faint Sound of Success

Reading a number of articles and watching the news it seems as if there is more information and reminders of the issues then direction or resolutions. Can this really be? Can we really be in a time where there are absolutely no answers but more and more problems?

In my opinion!!! NO WAY! In fact I would even go so far as to say that we are in the best of times even now. Think of it this way. Over the years many things have been done behind closed doors or along the dark corridors of the transaction world. True, some things that are illegal today where OK to do yesterday; it all depends on who is running the ship. Then again there are other things that were never legal and wouldn’t be legal or righteous even to a 3 year old child.

But despite all of this I want you to step back and see the big picture. These cancerous issues that were in hiding are suddenly being pushed to the surface. Who knows how much more damage would have occurred had they continued to be hidden. Not to mention, people who were afraid to step out on dreams are now being forced to take action and seeing their lives bigger and more opportunities coming forth. My dreams are bigger because I can’t depend on the way things use to be neither can I stand on my old comfortable foundations. I am forced to pray and seek something bigger and greater for my life. At times I have to shut the noise of the loud circumstances and listen for the faint voice of Opportunity and Success.

I may have to step into something totally brand new but BLESS God suddenly I have come alive in ways I would never have imagined. Indeed change can be a little scary and seem immense especially compared to the past. BUT! Thank God for the BUT! The blessings and rewards are bigger and better and I never would have known had a not heard the faint sound of success calling me forth.

Will Your Most Valuable Asset be Your Grave?

Each day at least 80% of the World’s population probably thinks of something they could have done but never got around to doing it. An idea that woke them up in the middle of the night but they just tossed it to the side. A passion that haunted them for years but now they can hardly hear it’s faint voice.

How many of you know people with books of ideas or better yet thousands of pieces of paper lying around the house with great ideas. When they explain the ideas their eyes begin to light up, their voice begins to dance, and they seem to suddenly grow younger with each word as it flows poetically. Grace seems to have held back the years, steadied the mind, and strengthened the body.

But reality comes forth as a crashing wave upon a shore. It’s voice overtakes the serene dreamy voice of imagination telling you time has not been held back and all that holds true of your dreams is the ink upon the paper. Tears stream down your face and a question chokes the joy from your heart – Why?

Regardless of how we package the story the reality is most don’t act on their dreams because of FEAR. Fear of Failure! Fear to be ridiculed! Fear of becoming an outcast!

As a Business Consultant my most difficult task is fighting with people as they deal with their inner fears. As much as we fight to admit the truth people, things, and yes even money are not our limitation. Many of us have build up these walls into our minds with these various labels convincing ourselves that is why we can’t produce the dream. I don’t ignore the fact we can’t do things on our own and we will need resources at some point in time. But I can tell you most people never take one step towards their dream rationalizing they need help, they need money, they need whatever. The truth is they need courage to take a step and they need to be delivered from the fear of people.

I would like to ease your mind today just a little. If some of your reason for not stepping out in your dreams is the thought people will talk about you, people will reject you, you will make a mistake, you probably will not have enough money. I just want to ease your mind and let you know all the above will happen; sometimes all at once; sometimes at different times. But I can guarantee that at least two of them will indeed happen.

So then why step out. Your dreams were given to you to help others and the only way for us to benefit is for you to transfer the dream from paper to reality. Don’t die with your dreams still unfulfilled. The cost is to great for those who have been waiting. There is no benefit to anyone if your grave is the most valuable thing your life produces.


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Repackaging Your Gifts

Buckets of Cash Flow

I am a Fan of Basic Cash Flow

This theory hasn’t been all that popular in the past but I am sure more people are getting a little more interested in stepping away from the creative financing and return to basic accounting. I have always been a fan of basic cash flow – money in vrs money out methodology.

No matter what kind of business you own or where you are located around the world everyone can understand the basics. That is after conversion for foreign companies but besides that point the basics are understood; how much money comes in determines how much money you have to spend. How much money needs to go out is less money you have on-hand to spend.

Sounds simple RIGHT! At least that is what they taught me in Accounting 101. However, the real world has tried to stretch these simple basic truths and has added more twist then a twizzler. The end result – an economic system no one clearly understands and trust even less.

I am not so naïve to the business world that I close my eyes to the need for creative ways to keep the doors open; however, I do understand boundaries and the need to retain integrity no matter the circumstances.

Visit www.edalsconsulting .com for more information on contacting Denise D. Johnson

New Economic Systems for Today's Success